Newport News Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Passing Counterfeit Money

Newport News Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Passing Counterfeit Money

NORFOLK, VA—Todd Jackson, 25, of Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to pass counterfeit money.

Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; William Frantzen, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office; and Police Chief Jim A. Cervera, Virginia Beach Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr.

Jackson pleaded guilty on January 28, 2014. According to court documents, Jackson was stopped by Virginia Beach Police Department in July 2013. Jackson was with a 17-year old-girl who was listed as a runaway. The girl stated that she had been working as a prostitute for Jackson for the past 10 days in the Hampton Roads area. She stated that Jackson bought her new clothes to make her look older and told her to tell everyone she was actually 19 or 20 years old. Jackson took all of the money she made and he advertised her services on backpage.com.

In addition, Jackson was also indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pass counterfeit currency. Todd Jackson, along with Alicia McDuffie and Curtis Crumity, who were also convicted, passed thousands of dollars of counterfeit currency to various Target stores in the Hampton Roads area. The defendants would purchase high-dollar gift cards or toys and then return the toys to the same or different Target stores in exchange for genuine currency.

The sex trafficking case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Virginia Beach Police Department. The counterfeit case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.